How High Should Bird Feeders Be off the Ground?

By: TheWalledNursery
Time to read: 5 min.

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Your bird feeders should be at a certain height off the ground to attract certain species of birds. You also want to ensure that squirrels and chipmunks can’t get into the bird feeder. Overall, the best height would be between five and eight feet above the ground. 

Carefully placing your bird feeder ensures that the birds feel comfortable eating there.

Plus, you can prevent other wildlife from taking the food before the birds can get to it. As long as you choose the right height and food, you should see a ton of birds!

Table of Contents

How High Should My Bird Feeder Be?

Different species of birds prefer to eat at different height levels. For example, quails enjoy dining on the ground. Sparrows eat in bushes, while warblers eat higher in trees.

The height placement of your bird feeder will attract certain species of bird.

Most birds tend to eat between one and ten feet off the ground. Placing the bird feeder between five and eight feet off the ground is appealing to most birds while keeping it out of reach of other animals.

Birds can be flexible with where they eat! However, you’ll want to make sure the bird feeder is far away from places where squirrels can jump from. It’s also essential to ensure cats can’t reach the birds.

Overall, five or six feet is suitable for most bird feeders. Although, you can put it higher if needed, as long as you can reach it.

Consider What Birds are in Your Area

It’s good to think about what birds live near you already. You’ll have an easier time attracting them to your bird feeder if you set it at the height they prefer.

Here’s what some popular birds enjoy:

Ground feeders (one to five feet): towhees and sparrows
Low-level feeders (three to six feet): cardinals, finches, and hummingbirds

Mid-level feeders (five to eight feet): chickadees, bluebirds, orioles, and titmice
High-level feeders (six to ten feet): woodpeckers

These ranges are what these species generally prefer, although most will eat at any level, as long as they feel safe at the feeder.

Can My Bird Feeder Be Too High?

You can place your bird feeder too high in the air. Even though the birds can still find it and enjoy eating from it, maintaining the bird feeder becomes inconvenient when you can’t reach it.

Some people use pulley systems or ladders to change out the birdseed. However, not everyone will want to put in that much effort, especially if the birds go through the seed very quickly.

In short, a bird feeder can be too high up, but only when it becomes inconvenient for you and maintaining it. Birds will always find and eat from a feeder, no matter how high it goes.

Some people prefer more elevated feeders because the birds won’t leave, even when people are in the yard.

How To Know Your Bird Feeder is Safe?

Birds won’t eat at feeders that aren’t safe for them. You’ll need to take the time to position it correctly.

You want it to be far away from places other animals can jump from, but the birds still need a place to retreat to.

Animals such as cats and squirrels. So how to predator-proof your feeder?

The feeder should be at least 10 to 12 feet away from trees, bushes, or somewhere else birds can fly to when they feel threatened.

That way, they’ll naturally flock to your bird feeder, no matter how high it is.

Keeping the bird feeder at least five feet in the air makes it more visible to birds. Some won’t notice it if it’s too low or surrounded by other objects.

Can My Bird Feeder Be Too Low?

Yes, it is possible to place your bird feeder too low. If it’s low to the ground, birds won’t feel safe eating there and may ignore it.

Birds choose feeders that are high enough to eat safely without worrying about predators.

Animals like cats can jump pretty high, making a low bird feeder a target for them. Most cats can jump at least four feet, so make sure the feeder is higher than that!

Additionally, place the feeder in the middle of your yard, away from trees, fences, tables, and other items that other animals could climb on and jump off of to reach the bird feeder.

Ground Bird Feeder Options

Some birds, such as quails, love eating off the ground. If you have a secure location for a feeder, you can place it low to the ground.

Many people set their bird feeders on low tables or even tree stumps. Plus, low platform bird feeders are another possibility.

Suppose you have a patio in the backyard without any outdoor cats. In that case, it could be another great place to set up a ground bird feeder.

In short, while at least five feet is the best height for bird feeders, there are some exceptions. You might enjoy having a ground bird feeder if you live somewhere where the birds mostly eat off the ground.

What About Window Bird Feeders?

Window bird feeders are becoming more popular. They suction to the outside of your window, allowing you to see the birds up close easily!

However, many people wonder how high up they can place these bird feeders.

You can set up the window feeder on the first-floor window if it’s at least five feet off the ground. Plenty of species will come to it.

However, you can also set up the bird feeders on the second and third floors- as long as you can easily reach them through the window!

These bird feeders are usually more convenient for people who want high feeders.

You’ll want to have windows that you can fully open, so you can reach out, grab the feeder, and restock it with food.

Plus, any bird that would go to a standard bird feeder will find window bird feeders. They’re great for those who don’t have much space in their yard or have too many squirrels looking to steal seeds.